Trip to Honolulu, Pearl Harbor and around Oahu

June 21 and 22, 2015

What to do and what to see in Honolulu? Regardless that you are in Honolulu for a short stop waiting for other flights to the Pacific, or if Oahu is the main destination of your holiday, you will find lot of activities to do in and around Honolulu including swimming, hiking and shopping. For far from Honolulu, Pearl Harbor is a very interesting open-air museum certainly deserving a full day visit.

Pictures of Honolulu. The state capital of Hawaii is located on the island of Oahu and has the typical appearance of the other major American cities, with the downtown that is home to many tall buildings.

More photos of Honolulu showing the buildings of the downtown housing offices and luxury condominiums.

The marina docks just steps from Honolulu downtown, where there are dozens of private boats and yachts docked.

Photos of Waikiki Beach in Honolulu. Waikiki beach is probably the most popular of Hawaii and is located in Honolulu, in the immediate vicinity of major hotels and resorts.

Behind Waikiki Beach there is a nice park with a lot of green, cured by various hotels that are close to the beach.

Although Honolulu's central downtown is a rather chaotic, it is enough to drive just a few miles along the road going around Oahu, to find yourself among semi-deserted beaches and beautiful scenery. In these photos, Diamond Head beach on the southern coast of Oahu. Renting a car is the best way to discover Oahu and to reach the most hidden corners.

The island Oahu is actively frequented by windsurfers in search of the perfect wave and the southeast coast is particularly suitable for this sport.

If you like snorkeling, but even if you want just to relax in a beautiful place, then Hanauma Bay (just a few minutes drive from major hotels in Honolulu) is the ideal place to spend the day.

The east coast of Oahu island offers beautiful landscapes where cliffs of volcanic origin alternate with beaches having only few tourists. Oahu Island has much to offer and, as said before, it is advisable to rent a car to explore the various corners far from the capital Honolulu.

Pictures of Oahu. Other picturesque beaches along the east coast of Oahu island, a short drive away from Honolulu.

Proceeding further north along the east coast of Oahu, there is Kahana beach, a long strip of soft white sand surrounded by a beautiful tropical landscape.

During any tour to Hawaii, the visitors should not to miss the opportunity to visit Pearl Harbor, a large open-air museum dedicated to World War II and USS Navy. Visiting all the attractions requires a whole day and the tour begins close to the submarine cemetery, where each of them is remembered with a plaque.

In Pearl Harbor there is the opportunity to visit a restored submarine from World War II, complete with torpedoes.

The entrance to USS Bowfin submarine is quite narrow and reveals the very small spaces inside.

Upon entering the submarine, formally known as USS Bowfin (SS / AGSS-287) visitors can see the torpedoes ready to be launched. It is to be noted the small bed mounted above the torpedo...

Pictures of USS Bowfin submarine in Hawaii.

The space inside a submarine is very cramped, therefore the military personnel sleep on cots arranged in multiple layers.

Photos of the engine room of the USS Bowfin submarine at Pearl Harbor.

The upper deck of USS Bowfin submarine with its 15 inches anti-aircraft gun.

Located in the middle of the Pacific, Hawaii have been strategically very important during World War II, as ideal base for logistical support and refueling amid thousands of miles of ocean. Pearl Harbor still houses one of the most important bases of the USS Navy and in addition to the submarine, you can also visit a battleship retired just recently: the USS Missouri.

The USS Missouri (BB-63) came into service in 1944 and was then retired in 1992 (after taking part to the Gulf War) when she was converted into a museum. With her mass of 127600 lbs, the USS Missouri was able to accommodate a crew of 2,700 including physicians-surgeons, lawyers and highly specialized mechanics, who were assigned to cabins that worked also as an office.

Photos of USS Missouri and the aft deck with its 161 inches guns.

The weapon loading system on the USS Missouri warship. The bullets were loaded from a room located directly under the numerous cannons along both sides of the battleship.

The USS Missouri is also home to a small museum which houses many relics of World War II.

On the left, the bunk beds hosting most of the crew, looking like really claustrophobic boxes. In the photo above, part of the kitchen.

Photos of Pearl Harbor and Oahu island, seen from the USS Missouri in Pearl Harbour.

Pearl Harbor is also home to the Pacific Aviation Museum that houses modern and historical aircraft.

A corner of the aviation museum is dedicated to Amelia Earhart, who disappeared while trying to cross the Pacific with a small twin-engine plane.